The invention relates generally to computer systems, and deals more particularly with support service for computer systems.
A computer systems or applications operator may detect a problem with a network or hardware or software within a computer system or be notified by a customer of such a problem. For example, if available storage is running low or a server or application goes down, the operator may detect this problem by monitoring status screens or receiving an alert. Typically, there are a pool of technical support people to assist the operator, although some may have expertise for certain types of problems and not for others. The operator will often need to contact one or more support people to solve the problem with the computer system.
In today's global environment, the support people may work at different locations throughout the world, and may work remotely from any support facility. Also, the operator may reside in a much different time zone than the support people and the customer, and detect problems with a computer system at times other than the scheduled shift hours for the customer. Typically, support people are scheduled during various shifts and may carry pagers and cell phones to handle problems occurring during other times. Typically also, there are different preferred methods to contact each support person, depending on whether the support person is working his or her primary scheduled hours or working other times. Such methods of contact include a work telephone, a home telephone, a pager, a cell phone, an e-mail for an e-mail account, an e-mail for a pager, or an e-mail for a cell phone. It has proven cumbersome for the operator to identify the proper support person or people to contact and the preferred method of contact in view of the foregoing complexities.
There is a previously known IBM software tool called “On Call” to assist an operator in identifying a support person to contact. The tool lists for the operator, the primary support person, first backup, second backup and manager, and their status (available or not available). The presentation of the list is fixed, irrespective of the time of day that the problem arises, or differences in time zones. The operator can select one of the support people or their manager, and the tool will display the contact information (i.e. work telephone number, pager number, cell telephone number, e-mail address) for the respective support person. Then, the operator can contact the support person or their manager. While this tool was effective, it did not optimally manage the identification of the proper support person(s) to contact or the preferred method of contact.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to better manage the identification of the proper support person(s) to contact and their preferred method of contact.
Another object of the present invention is to facilitate contact with a plurality of support people.